The Kerala High Court on Friday revoked the prohibition on burning Pappanji, a large effigy of an old man that has long been a central tradition of New Year's Eve celebrations at Fort Kochi's Veli ground.

Thousands gather in Fort Kochi every December 31 to witness the traditional burning of Pappanji, a 50-foot-tall effigy symbolizing the end of the old year. However, this year, the police issued a notice prohibiting the event at Veli Ground, citing safety concerns and challenges in deploying adequate personnel. 

Justice Harisankar V Menon of the Kerala High Court intervened, allowing the burning to proceed while mandating stricter safety measures, including increasing the distance between the effigy and the safety barricades to 70 feet. 

The order was issued in response to a petition filed by Gala de Fort Kochi, the club responsible for erecting the effigy. The club contested the police's notice, arguing that they had secured all required permissions. They also emphasized the historic significance of the tradition, tracing its origins to the 15th century and its role in the Cochin Carnival for decades. 

The police, in their notice, had flagged concerns about manpower, stating that around 1,000 officers were needed at Parade Ground, the venue for the main Pappanji burning event, making it difficult to deploy sufficient personnel at Veli Ground, located over two kilometers away.